Find That Film: The Watcher in the Woods

Part three of our Weird Disney Triumvirate is the Disney attempt at horror The Watcher in the Woods, and you know what? As a horror film it’s not a total failure! I’ve seen mainstream and independent horror films that were disgusting, or that sought out a straight-out horror vibe that weren’t nearly as successful at being unnerving or as creepily atmospheric as this movie actually succeeds at being! Never mind that Bette Davis phoned it in to get that acting dollar! Never mind that Lynn-Holly Johnson probably shouldn’t have ever been in front of a camera (okay, that’s rough…she was a beautiful young thing whose eagerness and earnestness really are an attribute to this film). Never mind that it has one of the most abrupt endings this side of Dreamcatcher! (Author’s note: Don’t ever watch Dreamcatcher.) The music is creepy, the camerawork is reminiscent of Evil Dead (or vice versa…who can say for sure?), and there’s a mystery at the core of this movie that overcomes most of the silliness that Disney tried to heap on it. This is a film that’s worth finding, no matter what Disney’s PR and Marketing have to say about it. So don’t wait for the next eclipse! Get out there and find The Watcher in the Woods!